Not again like this
by darkmoore05
Summary: Sequel to unexpected. Wyatt has to take care of his wounded brother.


**Author:** darkmoore  
**Title: **Not again like this  
**Fandom:** Charmed  
**Rating:** PG 13  
**Word count:** 1068  
**Warnings:** SPOILERS for "Forever Charmed", AU  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine. I just want to play with them.

**NOTE**: This is set in the same Universe as "Secondborn" and is the sequel to "Unexpected"

"Aunt Paige! Aunt Paige we need your help! Hurry!" Wyatt yelled, firmly pushing down the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He needed to concentrate, and giving into his feelings would only make things worse. His brother - his _rapidly dying_ - brother needed him. It was his job to save Chris, the kid had after all taken this damn athame for him.

Wyatt forced himself to smile, for Chris's sake, stroking his brother's hair softly. Chris opened his eyes and looked up at him, so Wyatt said, "Don't worry, Chris. Aunt Paige will be here soon and she'll get Dad. He'll be able to take this thing out of you so I can heal you. You'll see you'll be as good as new in no time."

At this moment, the telltale sound of orbing could be heard and a second later Paige leaned down to her two nephews. "Wyatt, what happened? What… oh my god, CHRIS! Wyatt, get this thing out…" She leaned over, about to grab the athame that was still firmly plugged into Chris's stomach, but Wyatt held her back with a firm grip on her arm.

"No, don't touch it - it absorbs magic! It'll only get worse with every bit of magic it's objected to. If you touch it, it'll kill him even faster as it is anyway. That's why I can't orb him out of here. I need you to get Dad to remove that thing. Everyone else will only make it worse." Wyatt explained to her hastily.

"Okay, Wyatt, I'll go get him from the Magical school. I'll be right back." She then stroked Chris's sweat soaked face briefly. "Hold on, Chris, we can't lose you again like this. We just can't, alright? Please hold on." With that, she dissolved in a myriad of blue orbs.

"Wyatt…" Chris whispered, pain and regret colouring his voice. He was barely conscious, but clinging to his brother's hand in a futile attempt to will away the pain.

"Shhh, Chris, don't speak. It's alright, don't worry. _You'll_ be alright, I promise. Just… just hold on for a bit longer. Really, just a little longer, they'll be here any second…"

As if on cue Paige and Leo appeared beside the two brothers.

The moment Leo lay eyes on his younger son, his face lost all colour. "Chris… NO!" he sobbed, dropping to his knees beside his badly wounded son. "No, not again," he whispered, and a confused look rushed over Wyatt's face. This was the second time one of his relatives had commented about this happening 'again'. But Chris had never been stabbed in the stomach by an athame before and more importantly Chris had never before been this close to dying. Wyatt had made sure of that personally.

"Dad, get it out of him so I can heal him!" Wyatt urged his father, who stared at the athame that was imbedded in Chris's stomach, with apparent horror on his face. This couldn't be happening.

He searched his younger son's eyes for a moment, grabbing the hilt of the weapon tightly. "I'm sorry Chris…" he whispered before he pulled the athame free from Chris's body. Chris cried out in agony, his body convulsing as a gush of crimson blood spilled from the wound the athame had left in his stomach. Chris's body went limp and Leo dropped the weapon, his eyes flying up to look at his older son.

Wyatt moved forward quickly, raising his hands over the profoundly bleeding wound in his younger brother's stomach, instantly beginning to heal him.

It was a close call, but Wyatt was determined to save his brother just like he had promised. He wasn't going to let these demons win. Not now, not ever.

Paige, who had stood back and watched the scene silently, now moved forward to lay a comforting hand on Leo's shoulder. "He's gonna make it, Leo. We won't lose him this time, Wyatt won't let him die," she whispered, rubbing small comforting circles on his back.

Leo looked up at her, seeing tears in her eyes, just then realizing that he was crying as well. He lowered his eyes to look at the athame again, wondering what had happened here that had required for him to come and help save his son's life.

Usually, all of his children were more than capable to look after themselves and of course each other and usually he didn't get to see them wounded – ever. Wyatt always made sure his siblings were healed and presentable before they got home - and risked running into him or Piper.

Seeing Chris in this state unnerved him greatly, the nature of the wound adding to the sensation of déjà vu. Leo needed to remind himself that he had not lost Chris this time around, that he had not been too late today. And that he had not let down his son, this time – this time Chris had survived.

Chris chose this exact moment to inhale sharply, opening is eyes and staring down at the place where moments ago the athame had been and where Wyatt still was healing him.

"Fuck, that hurt!" he cursed, sinking back onto the damp pavement, while Wyatt finished his healing. Finally, Wyatt took his hands away, smiling at his younger brother lightly. "All done," he announced. "You're as good as new, Chris."

"Thanks, Wyatt!" Chris said, holding out his hand in a silent request to be helped getting up. Leo and Wyatt reacted simultaneously, each grabbing an arm to help Chris to his feet. "And thanks, Dad." Chris opened his arms to hug his father tight, sorry that he had scared him so much. He could see the tears on Leo's face and knew there would be one hell of an aftermath.

"Um, how about we get out of here, hm?" Paige asked, leaning down to pick up the athame but then remembered she couldn't touch it. "What do we do with this thing?" she then asked, looking from her nephews to Leo.

"We can't orb it, or with it and we don't have anything here do destroy it, either. We need either mom or a potion to get rid of it. I'd say we take care of it, later." Wyatt answered. "Dad, could you hide it over there? I'll cast a spell on the area around it to make the athame invisible until we can deal with it. Chris needs to get home first." He held out his hand and Excalibur appeared in it from the place he had dropped it when he had crouched down beside Chris.

"Sure, no problem." Leo said, picking up the dreadful weapon and flinging it at the nearest wall.

Wyatt quickly cast the appropriate spell, before patting his brother's back, saying, "Let's go home."

A second later the four of them disappeared in a swirl of blue lights.


End file.
